Electrolytic deposition apparatus.



PATENTED APB.. 19,1904.

No. 757,557.l

APPLICATION FILED AB.. 7. 1903.

N0 MUDEL.

YIIIIHIIIA reis cc, Puerto-unam wAsHmGmN. o c4 residing at San Francisco, in the county of San.

Iov

WILLIAM J. GRY AND JosEPHv JCRY, or sAN CALiroRNiA.

Patented April 19, 1904.15`

PATENT OFFICE. i

FRANCISCO,

EL'EcTRoLYTlo DEPoslTloN APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of :Letters 'Patent No. 757,557, dated April 19, 1904.

Application Atiled April '2., 1903, Serial No. 151,492. (No model.) y l To all whom, may con-carin:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM JJoRY and JOSEPH H. Joni'. citizens of the United States,

Francisco and State of Californiahave inventeda new and useful Electrolytic Depositionl Apparatus, of which the following is a specication. y f y Y This invention relates to electrolytic deposition apparatus. x

Theobject of the invention lis in a simple, rapid, thoroughly efficient, and practical man` ner to extract metals from slimes, sand, and solutions in which they are contained.

With these and other objects in view, as will per, antimony, tin, lead, and other metalsfrom iiuids in which they may be held in suspension or' in solution by electrolytic action alone or aided by other agencies.

In the accompanying drawings, forming aV part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indlcate corresponding parts, thereare illustrated two forms of em-Y bodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it

being understood that the elements therein.

exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact mannery of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof, and in the drawings;

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. verse section. Fig. 3 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a slightly-modiied form of a portion of the apparatus. Fig. l is adetail view of a slightly-modified form of bottom for the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of one of the supports or bearings for the shafts of the electrodes. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of an end of one of the electrode-shafts with a collar for maintaining electrical contact with the mercury contained in the bearings for the shafts.

Fig. 2 isa view in trans- The apparatus consists of a trough-like table vl, which is to be of such capacity thatthe flowY lof the solution, the` Water carrying metals in suspension accompanied by sands, or any other Huid holding the metals to berecovered shall gform a shallow stream ,while flowing 'at such f a rate as to carry olf the sands contained in the iiuid'.- At the bottom of. this trough is laida plate or plates 2 of copper,.silvered cop- ;per, or other suitable metal, fitting closely to :thegsides thereof and extending frornend to end. of the table. The surface thus presented `may be plain or corrugated, according to the character of work to be done, and constitutes one pole of the apparatus. In some instances vthe bottom of the apparatus may be provided with rif-iles or depressions 3, as shown in Fig. yli, to contain mercury, theriiies 'being electrically connected to constitute the electrodes of the apparatus; Y

Secured to the sides ofthe table are two supports 4L, constituting a frame upon which fare supported electrodes 5, which may be of the formshown in Fig. l or that shown in Fig. 3. These electrodes may be made of any suitable metal or of carbon or of any conducting fabric, either rigid or liexible, and are secured to the metallic or carbon bars 7, mounted for rockingmovement in bearings 8 on the upper edges of the frame 4. "Instead of connecting the electrodes' rigidly with the shafts or bars 7 these may be loosely mounted to swing thereon, as shown in Fig. 3.' Each of the shafts 7 carries near each end a collar l0, as shown in. detail in Fig. 6, the collars being -held upon the shafts by set-screws or other equivalent form of fastening device. The collars work in bearings 8,l the bearings, in effect, constituting sockets to present receptacles .for mercury, thus at once lessening the friction of the. bearingand forming an electric conductor.v

Extending along both sides of the exterior tact with the bearings 8 are lcopper rods l1, said rods forming a means by which the electric current is conveyed to the electrodes, and extending along both sides of the exterior of of the frame near its upper edges and in con- -it in the solution.

the frame near its lower edges are copper rods 12,Wliich are electrically connected with the copper plates 2 by set-screws 13, which pass through the rods 12 and into the plates, these latter rods operating to convey an opposite electric current into .the plate-electrodes 2.

For the suspended electrodes 5 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2') may be substituted electrodes 6, as shown in Fig. 3; The electrodes 6 are the preferred form, being balanced to present but slight obstruction to the passage of sands and other solids contained in the flow of liquid, and are adapted, when their lower parts have become so worn, abraded, corroded, or overweighted as tobecome unserviceable, to be reversed. The electrodes of both forms being pivoted for free movement at thetop of the sluice-box are adapted to rest at their lower ends sub'stantially on the surface of the stream flowing through the sluice-box and may properly be described as floating thereon.

The' collars 10' are each providedwith one or more adjustable stops 14:, which may be set to prevent the electrodes from coming in to such close` proximity to the plate-electrodes 2 or the rifHe-electrodes 3 in the bottom of the trough as to make a short-circuit or, on the other hand, from swinging so far above the plate-electrodes as to` lower the efiiciency of the' apparatus. Y

At each corner of the table is placed an adjusting-screw 15, by whichthe level of the apparatus may be changed to give it'the greatest possible efficiency by increasing or diminishing the rate of i'ow to carry off the lighter or heavier sands of the various ores or to cause a greater or less flow of the iiuids being acted upon by the electric current. I

In using the apparatus as above described a stream of water in which metal that is to be recovered is present in one of the forms hereinafter more specifically disclosed is caused to `flow through the apparatus and is subjected to electrolytic action through the electrodes above described either aided by chemical agencies which vary with the metals to be recovered or unaided by any other agency. The depth of the stream containing the metal and its rate of passage through the accumulator will depend upon a variety of conditions and will vary with the nature of the metal to be recovered and the form in which it is present in the stream passingthrough the apparatus. The current employed is to be of such density and tension on the electrodes as to cause the various electrochemical and other reactions necessary to produce the electrolytic and electrolytic amalgamating effects desired and is always adjusted to the metal to be deposited and to the special chemical forces which hold Where electrolytic amalgamation is employed, the strength of thecurrent will be adjusted according to the strength of the chemical forces holding the mercury in combination and tothe intensity required to decompose a small quantity of water, so as to produce a hydrogen amalgam by the combination of the hydrogen set free by the decomposition'of the water with the mercury freed at the same time, or the current will be adjusted to eect sulcient decomposition of sodium chlorid, if that salt be present, to produce a sodium amalgam. In all cases, except those hereinafter named, the plates 2 form the cathodes and the swinging electrodes the anodes'of the apparatus. The bars 11 are connected by a cross-rod 16, to which is connected a binding-post 17, with which is connected the positive conductor, and the bars 12 by a crossbar 18, with which is connected a binding-post 19, connecting with the negative conductor.

When natural sands are passed through the apparatus, these are vto be so screened from the coarser gravel as to prevent any mechanical injury to the apparatus. Metallic mercury inexact quantities to form a plastic amalgam is introduced into the sands before entering the accumulator` and sucient sodium chlorid 4in solution is added to form a sodium amalgam under the electrolytic forces of the apparatus.

Under such a procedure, with an ample electric current properly introduced,'suiflicient water and sodium chlorid is decomposed to form a hyrogen-sodium amalgam on the cathodeplate that is very eective in securing and accumulating all the metallic particles contained in the flow. In the absence of salt a hydrogen amalgam is formed which is only less eiiicient than the sodium amalgam.

In the procedure governing the deposition of the precious metals from the iiow proceeding from stamp-batteries the following courses are pursued: In the common methods of the recovery of gold and silver in stamp-batteries and on the tables over-which the pulp from the batteries passes it is usual for the purpose of amalgamation to introduce into the batteries at certain intervals such quantities of metallic mercury as may be necessary to produce a proper amalgamation of they gold and silver contents of the ores operated on. Platinum existing in such ores unalloyed is not subject to normal amalgamation and under the common methods is lost. Great losses also occur in the slimes and floured amalgam produced in the stamp mill. To prevent such losses in platinum, gold, and silver, we introduce into the batteries a solution of some soluble mercurio salt, such asf mercurio nitrate or mercurio chlorid, in such proportions with the metallic contents of the ore as will form an amalgam of such metals in so plastic a form that it may easily be removed from the plates and yet of such {irmness that it will not be carried off in the iiow of water and sands. When the mercury so- IOO lIO

lution is so introduced and electrolyzeol by means of the current supplied by the electrolytic apparatus, the mercury set free is deposited upon the cathodes of the apparatus and all the preciousmetals contained inthe flow are recovered by amalgamation with the mercury so deposited. The salts of the precious metals are decomposed .simultaneously with the mercury salts and sodium chlorid, if the latter is present, and a hydrogen-S01 diuin amalgam is produced. The precious metals present as such in the'flow Will be more i readily recovered `by the mercury deposited on the cathodes by electrolysis than when the cathodes are coated with mercury by other means. The action of the -apparatusis substantiallysimilar to that just described `when metallic mercury is Wholly or in 'part introduced into the stamp-batteries with sodium chlorid. The' density and tension of electric current required in performing these and all other actions and reactions of the electrolytic accumulator may be readily calculated by any skilled electrometal-lurgist by taking into consideration the various solutions to be decomposed and the several depositions to be made.

Great diiculty and losses occur from the slimes produced in amalgamation milling operations whether these are o r are not cornbined with. cyanid or other leaching processes. To obviate this, We proceedin the following manner? When the ore is passed through the stamp -batteries'or other pulverizers either without or with the introduction of the chemicals above named, or of others, such as po-. tassium cyanid,vvhich`are sometimes employed to facilitate amalgamation, the sands, pulp, and slimes produced are passed through an electrolytic deposition apparatus, as v above described, and having the lower plates so electrically connected as to form cathodes of the apparatus. Under these conditions all those particles of metals mixable with Water and held in suspension or in solution Will be deposited and accumulated on the lower plates; but there are generally produced in stampbatteries a quantity of line slimes and powdered amalgams combined With gnaphitatalc, and other ingredients of the ores, which form a greasy scum on the surfaceof the iow that carries away With it very considerable quantities of the precious metals impossible. to amalgamate in the ordinary way. We therefore cause the stream after its passage through the electrolytie apparatus, as above described, to pass through another apparatus having forl its purpose the extraction of the precious metals from the sl-imes and floured amalgam carried on the surface of the flow. This form of the apparatus coincides in its general design with that already described, but has its electrodes electrically reversed, so that what Were'before the anodes of the apparatus noW become the cathodes, and vice versa. The floating electrodes in this case are formed of copper or silvered copper or other proper material, while the lower plates, which have now become the anodes of the apparatus, may be made of carbon or other good conducting madeposition apparatus in such quantities that the electricfcurrent provided may produce a perfect deposition ofthe contained metal or metals in a simple metallic form. The length and width of the deposition apparatus, the rate. of iioW of the solutio'n,and the dynamic forces of the electric 4current are all factors lto .be taken into consideration in the adjustments to be made to produce the desired results. .Gold, silver, and copper are among the metals most readily 'deposited andaccvum ulated from their solutions by the processes of the electrolytic apparatus, and the cathode-plates beging ycoated at the beginning of the operation with a dressing that is at once eiiicientlyconductive and non-adhesive, Such as graphite, the accumulated metals may be removed as pure` metallic sheets as'often as convenient after deposition. Metallic Quicksilver isr also readily deposited from its solutions by the processes of the electrolytic apparatus. In this case the cathode-` plates at the bottom of the deposition-tanks are preferably of polished iron or steel, and the apparatusY is adjustedto such an incline that the deposited metal Hows olf with the eX- hausted solution, which, passing'over an iron tank, the mercury by its su perior gravity falls tothe bottom, while the solution passes over into a sump. Y The iron tank into which the mercury falls is electrically connected with the negative pole of the electric circuit, While a perforated anode suspended in the iuid.

above the rnetalis connected with the' positive pole. The electriccurrent is introduced in. such density and tension that underthe conditions described no solution of the metal is possible by the solvent with which it may' be in contact. A stop-cock is provided at the bottom of the'metallic tank, so that the quicksilver may be drawn off at intervals in a pure lstate Without Waste of the metal or of the solvent.

In the recovery of lead from its solution obtained from ores in such chemical condition vas prevents its easy deposition in the metallic state it is provided to deposit this as an oxid in the following manner: An electrically-reversed deposition -tank is provided having iron or copper'anode-plates at the bottom of, the apparatus dressed with graphite. The lead solution passing through the apparatus deposits its lead contents When proper adjustments of the electric current have been made, as a lead peroXid, which may be removed from time to time, as in the case of metallic deposits. It is also provided that when two or more metals existing in the solution are to be deposited from the one flow that two or more deposition-tanks are set, the one to fol'- low the other and through which the Solution flows, the electric current so adjusted as to deposit the one metal requiring the least electrical energy for its deposition in the first apparatus and the one requiring a higher degree of energy next, and so on until all the metals are recovered in the one operation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is* l. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a sluice-boX and electrodes swinging on horizontal axes and adapted to float on he surface of a stream passing through the 2. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a sluice-box and electrodes swinging freely on axes disposedy transversely of thesluice-box. w

3. An apparatus of thev character specified, comprisinga sluice-box,.,bearings supported thereby and containing mercury, horizontal rods or shaftsworking in the mercury, and freely swinging plates, .forming electrodes supported. by the shafts.

'4. An apparatus of the characterspecied, comprising a sluice boX, bearings carried thereby and containing mercury,shafts having collars Working in the mercury, and electrodes supported by the shafts.

5. An apparatus of the character specified,

comprising a sluice-box, and reversible swinging electrodes supported thereby.

^ 6. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a sluice-box, swinging electrodes supported thereby, and adapted to rest on the surface of the flow through the box and means for limiting the range of movement of the electrodes.

7. An apparatus of the character specified,

comprising a sluice-box, bearings supported thereby and containing mercury, shafts having collars working` in the mercury, stops carried by the collars, and reversible electrodes carried by the shafts.

8. An apparatus of the character specified, comprisinga sluice-box,plates disposed on the bottom thereof, bearings containing mercury supported by the boX, shafts having collars working in the mercury, plates swinging on said shafts and forming electrodes, and electrical connections in circuit with the bearings and with the plates.

9. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a sluice-box, transverse shafts rotatably mounted at the top of said sluice-box, and plates having oppositely-curved ends supported midway of their ends upon said shafts and forming reversible electrodes.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

yWILLIAM J. JoRY. JOSEPH H. JoRY.

Witnesses:

BLANCHE C. SMALL, A. W. SMALL. 

